Day 1 Advent Scripture & Reflection
Psalm 25: 1-3
“To you, I lift up my soul, O my God.
In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame
Nor let my enemies exult over me;
And let none who hope in you be put to shame.”
Reflection
- Do you trust in God?
- What can you do to put all of your trust in Him?
Day 2 Advent Scripture & Reflection
Isaiah 64: 7
“Yet, O lord, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands”
Reflection
- Study these words and the picture!
- Picture yourself as the clay, do you willingly let God, our Potter mold you?
- Do you surrender yourself to Him?
Day 3 Scripture & Reflection
Mark 13: 33-37
“Jesus said to his disciples, “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeepers to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening or at midnight or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you all: “Watch!”
Reflection
- Do you live each day as if it could be your last?
- How can you better prepare for the day you stand before the Lord?
Day 4 Scripture & Reflection
John 13: 34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
Reflection
- Do you take this command seriously?
- Do you love others as Jesus wants you to?
Day 5 Scripture & Reflection
Isaiah 26: 12
“Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”
Reflection
- Do you trust that all that you have accomplished has been done by the Lord?
- Do you pray for peace in our world today?
Day 6 Scripture & Reflection
Psalm 27: 1-4
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me, uttering slanders against me, my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall. Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.”
Reflection
- Is the Lord your stronghold?
- Who here on earth helps you when you encounter challenges?
Day 7 Scripture & Reflection
John 1: 1-5
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Reflection
- What makes your life shine?
- Are there any parts of your life when darkness takes over?
Day 8 Scripture & Reflection
Ephesians 1: 3-4
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.”
Reflection
- What is God’s best blessing He provided you with?
- Do you worry about standing before Him? If so, what can you do about that?
Day 9 Scripture & Reflection
Isaiah 40: 1-2
“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the Lord double her sins. “
Reflection
- What comforts you? What do you need comfort from?
- How can you take better care of yourself?
Day 10 Scripture & Reflection
Psalm 130: 1-4, 7
“Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared. O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.”
Reflection
- What do you cry out to the Lord with?
- Do you truly believe that the Lord is always a ‘forgiving Lord’?
Day 11 Scripture & Reflection
Mark 1:1–8
“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold! I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Reflection
- What do you need help with in your life?
- Are there things troubling with you?
- If so, do you reach out to God with those things?
Day 12 Scripture & Reflection
Psalm 130: 5-7
“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the LORD more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.”
Reflection
What feelings come to your mind / heart after reading this?
Do you have trust and hope in the Lord?
Do you have trust and hope in others?
Day 13 Scripture & Reflection
Luke 1: 2
“And, the angel said to her in reply, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.’ Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.”
Reflection
- Would you be as brave as Mary was?
- Would you have said, ‘YES’?
Day 14 Scripture & Reflection
Romans 5:1–5
“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Reflection
- What can be done to produce peace in our world today?
- What is the secret to you having peace in your own life?
Day 15 Scripture & Reflection
Phillipians 4: -5
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.”
Reflection
- Do you feel the Lord is close to you?
- Are there times that you feel he is closer than other times?
Day 16 Scripture & Reflection
Isiah 6: 1-2
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord and a day of vindication by our God.”
- Reflection
- Do you pay attention to the merciful gifts that God has bestowed upon you?
- Do you care for those who are poor and hurting?
Day 17 Scripture & Reflection
Luke 1: 46-47
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed.”
Reflection
- Do you recognize the wonderful things in your life that you should rejoice about?
- Are there times that you have difficulty recognizing these things?
- Would you be as willing to listen?
Day 18 Scripture & Reflection
Thessalonians 5: 16-18
“Brothers and sisters: Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”
Reflection
- How often do you pray?
- Do you desire a different prayer life?
Day 19 Scripture & Reflection
Psalm 139: 1-5
LORD, you have probed me, you know me:
you know when I sit and stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
You sift through my travels and my rest;
with all my ways you are familiar.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
LORD, you know it all.
Behind and before you encircle me
and rest your hand upon me.”
Reflection
- Do you feel God knows you?
- What phrases in this Psalm comforts you?
- Does any part concern you?
Day 20 Scripture & Reflection
Isaiah 11: 1-2
“Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.”
Reflection
- Who was vital in your early faith development?
- Who has helped you on your journey as an adult?
Day 21 Scripture & Reflection
Isiah 40: 11
“Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.”
- Reflection
- How can you help tend to God’s sheep?
- Do you feel God wants you to help him to help others?
Day 22 Scripture & Reflection
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths” – Mark 1: 3
Reflection
- How are we to conduct our daily lives as we follow the Lord’s paths?
- How are we called to prepare the way of the Lord in today’s world?
Day 23 Scripture & Reflection
“Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” – John 14: 23
- Reflection
- Can one tell by your life that you love Jesus?
- How can Jesus’ words help you in a personal crisis or when you have a troubled heart?
Day 24 Scripture & Reflection
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” -Romans: 15: 13
Reflection
- Does that verse even come close to describing me?
- Can I honestly say that my life is filled with all joy and peace in believing?
Day 25 Scripture & Reflection
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the laws; so that we might receive adoption as children.” – Galatians 4: 4-5
Reflection
- Do you feel worthy of redemption?
- Do you lack patience waiting for the “fullness of time”?
Day 26 Scripture & Reflection
“See what love the Father has given us,that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.” – 1 John 3: 1
Reflection
- What does being a child of God mean to you personally?
- How do you think God wants His children to behave?
Day 27 Scripture & Reflection
“But I will see you again, And your hearts will rejoice, And no one will take your Joy from you.” – John 16: 22
Reflection
- What makes you joyous?
- Are there things in your life, that take
- Your joy away?
Day 28 Scripture & Reflection
“Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.” – 1 John 4: 11
Reflection
- Why is it so important for us to love one another?
- What does it mean if we do not?
Merry Christmas from Saint Ambrose
The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you; you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And, suddenly there was a multitude of heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” – Luke 2: 10 – 14
Reflection
- Do you feel like you did a good job of preparing yourself?
- What is the one good thing that you enjoyed most about this Advent?